Bragging Rights
by Cynlee
Summary: Jun is going to prove he is the best Foot, even if it KILLS him. He will bring back the head of Donatello and show them all! Donatello and an OC who is not in love with him. Please reread the first sentence of this summary!
1. Chapter 1

_I've been toying with this plot bunny for some time, and now I am finally attempting it. Sorry for the long intro. TMNT are the property of Mirage. Jun, the jounin, Naoto, Yuuto, Asuka and Buta/Daichi are my O.C.s_

**Bragging Rights**

"My ancestors were among the First.

"My line on both sides stretches back to the beginnings of ninjutsu; to

Koka, Shiga, with no tainting of the blood. Indeed, my ancestors on both sides were among the ninja of Koka, and brought much destruction to the army of General Ashikaga Yoshihisa, and victory to their lord Rokkaku Masayori.

"As times changed and centuries passed, many of our family joined other clans. By the Tokugawa period, my ancestors had joined a clan that would still be operating well into the future: the Foot!

"Even after the War, our clan has remained unbroken; our family has remained loyal.

"Even after moving to this-- this-- City of gaijin-- we have remained unchanged.

"My father is chief among the Mistress's warriors; his position in the Foot is secure. He is a REAL Grand master.

"HE, unlike Jinichi Kawakami, is truly "The last living modern ninja."

"(Despite what other sources may say, the Banke Shinobinoden family is NOT the only family in the world that has the right to claim authentic Ninjutsu roots-- but I digress)

"My mother is Kunochi-- naturally. The Mistress relies on her. Her trust in my mother is not misplaced.

"I have mastered the eighteen disciplines of ninjutsu skills which were first stated in the scrolls of Togakure-ryu. I have advanced at a quicker pace than the other members of my group.

"I am ninja."

The Jounin looked at Jun as if he'd grown another head.

"You will clean the toilets just like the others," he finally said to the defiant-looking youth. "You will clean the toilets just like your father and mother and every ancestor on both sides of your 'pure blood' family cleaned the toilets. You will clean the toilets now."

Jun bowed as haughtily as he dared, picked up the bucket and brush, and reluctantly went to work, carefully muttering "gaijin" under his breath once the Jounin left.

Naoto, Yuuto, and Asuka stifled laughter as their teammate haughtily got to work.

"Cheer up, Jun-san," Yuuto smiled as he finished up yet another toilet. "We've done most of them. You only have to do the one at the end."

Jun, pushing open the door of the stall as if he were entering the dwelling of an enemy, reeled back in disgust. The toilet was near to overflowing with waste. Paper, feces, and God knows what clogged the drain. The seat was stained and disgusting. Even the outside of the bowl was filthy.

"Oh, yeah," Yuuto added, as the laughs of Asuka and Naoto began to echo around the communal bathroom. "That's the one Buta-senpai prefers."

Jun, nose wrinkled, mouth pulled into a tight grimace of repulsion, did not even deign to waste any of his best retorts on his team. They were just jealous, he reminded himself yet again, jealous of his family, his skills, his--

"Hey! When are you gonna finish the job, kohai?" came the booming grunt of "Buta"-- real name Daichi, but referred to by the team as "Pig" (though never to his face, despite the boasting promises of Jun to do so one day). "You four have been in here long enough to build another bathroom."

He was huge in both height and weight; he looked more like a sumo than a ninja, yet there was no denying his skills-- he was only a year older than Jun and yet had advanced further than anyone would have suspected of such a large, plodding, stupid-looking--

"Hey! Are you deaf as well as lazy?" his harsh voice snorted again, looming over Jun. "When are you going to finish the job? I had a big meal earlier, and I need some private time in here."

Jun was aware that he was being watched by his team. Yet he could not bring himself to express his brilliantly witty opinions on the needs of Buta.

Grabbing the plunger, he went to work, heedless of the disgusting mess he was making. Indeed, he welcomed the cries of his team and the piggy protests of Buta as the floor became the catchall while Jun unclogged that toilet within an inch of its life.

"You little brat, if it weren't for the fact that I'm on duty, I'd shove you headfirst into that shitter!" Buta, dancing back out of the way of the spreading filth, threatened. He was frantically examining his outfit, making sure nothing had soiled him. The Mistress had a sensitive nose as well as a critical eye, and she demanded that her ninja be undetectable in every sense.

"Daichi!" the shout of his leader called the ninja away before Jun or the others could respond.

"I'd like to see him try," Jun uselessly threatened. "I'd like to see him make the attempt to follow through on that little promise. He'd be pulling my fist out of his piggy face!"

Asuka rolled her eyes.

"We'd be pulling your head out of the toilet," she responded, gathering her own cleaning supplies and leaving the bathroom, the others following behind, laughing yet again at their teammate.

Jun sullenly cleaned the mess, muttering about some people's jealousy...

During training he worked well with his team, as required, but he refused to speak to them. This was not lost on them or their Jounin, especially when it came to sparring. Jun attacked his team members as if they were his most hated enemies-- and was beat by each of them. His anger only grew with each defeat, until he snapped, throwing the bokken across the room with such force that it cracked when it hit the wall.

"Jun!" the Jounin shouted. "Kneel!"

From habit rather than obedience he dropped to his knees. The adrenaline rush of losing his temper was heady, but as his angry breathing began to slow, he felt the flush of shame on his face. He knew that he had shamed his father and mother-- and himself.

But it had felt good!

The Jounin continued to watch him in silence, considering.

"What is it that you want?"

Jun looked up suddenly.

"I want to prove myself! I am tired of this-- this-- childhood!" he gestured around the dojo. "We are treated like beginners. I've mastered so many lessons! I've advanced in my studies past the other three, yet we are not allowed to test our skills on the enemy! We merely train-- and clean toilets."

"What makes you think that you are ready?"

Jun, still kneeling, drew himself up.

"I just know I am."

The Jounin continued to study Jun as if he were a new species of fool.

The silence was growing uncomfortable. The others watched, waited--

Then something seemed to flash in the Jounin's eyes, something that caused Asuka to nudge the other two, trying to draw their attention to it.

By then, they all could see a sort of smile-- a SMILE-- play across the lips of their leader.

"Very well, Jun," he said slowly. "Very well. Have you heard of a counting coup?"

Jun shook his head, forgetting himself. The Jounin ignored it for the moment.

"Among the Native Americans of the Great Plains," the Jounin began, gesturing to the other three to join their team member on the floor for the lesson, "there was a battle practice called 'Counting coup'. It was a nonviolent demonstration of bravery."

Jun looked as if he were about to interrupt. Who cared about this? Other than the gaijin Jounin-- he suddenly caught the stern look he was receiving, and panicked briefly, wondering if he'd muttered this thought under his breath.

"It involved touching an enemy warrior with either the hand or a coup stick, then running away unharmed. Sometimes the warrior would steal something from the enemy as further proof of his skill and fearlessness. There was always the risk of injury or death, but the successful warrior earned the respect of his tribe. The warrior recorded his coups by carving notches in the coup stick. I have one, handed down to me by my great-grandfather-- who was a gaijin--" this he said, stressing the word to let Jun know that his rudeness was not missed by the leader, "-- as well as a member of the Lakota."

He sat down on the mat, his eyes still on Jun.

"You know of the Turtles," he said, and Jun's eyes suddenly lit up. "You know of their skill. You wish to prove yourself. Very well. I will give you a chance. You will find one of the turtles-- the one called 'Donatello'-- and you will--"

"Relieve him of his head! Yes! I shall kill him for the Mistress!" Jun immedately was lost in visions of holding up the head by it's mask, caked in the blood of the reptile, and humbly accepting the gratitude and praise of Mistress Karai as his parents looked on proudly...

"You will not kill him. You will find him and touch him with my great-grandfather's coup stick."

Rising, he gestured for the team to follow him to his private quarters, where he took from a trunk a stick about forty-five inches in length, decorated with notches, feathers, and thongs. At one end was what appeared to be the claw of an eagle or a hawk. He carefully handed this treasured item to Jun, a steely look in his eyes.

"You will touch this to the turtle, and then escape with your team. They will bear witness to your success, as well as benefit from the demonstration of your vast skills."

Jun, holding the stick, wanted to rebel-- this was stupid! Touch the turtle? He could KILL the turtle, kill one of the hated enemy of his Mistress!

Then he saw the other three watching him. They were being sent to spy on him. Jun was not stupid.

Very well-- let them spy! They would indeed learn just how skilled Jun was, just how far ahead of them he truly was!

"Arigatou gozaimasu," he said, bowing deeply to his leader. "I will not fail."

_I will KILL this Donatello he mentally promised. I will kill him with this very stick!_

ooooOOOOOOOooooooOOOOOOOOoooooo

Don sorted through the huge treasure piles of junk, cheerfully humming some tuneless song, mind working on three different projects. It was a beautiful night for such work, and despite Mike's constant hints about returning home before his favorite movie came on, he was finding much he could use.

"C'mooooon," Michelangelo whined, shifting from one foot to the other. "I'm tired of this."

"You promised."

"Yeah, but I didn't promise to spend all night at it."

"Baby."

"I am NOT a baby!" Mike pouted, lower lip jutting out. "I'm just not into all this re-recycling."

Silence. For like maybe ten seconds.

"Dooooooooooonieeeeeeeeee..."

"Five more minutes."

"You've said that three times already. That's like... fifteen minutes! And you want to make it twenty?"

More silence.

"Don!"

From the dark shadows of the huge piles of junk, the foursome watched as the one tried to wheedle his brother into going home "before 'Lost' is canceled."

"Well, Jun, this is your chance to show your inferior teammates how skilled you are," Naoto whispered.

"I am anxious to see you put your mastery of Shinobi Gaeshi," Yuuto managed to say seriously, though his face betrayed his real emotions.

Asuka said nothing. But Jun suspected that she, too, thought he was going to fail.

Well they'd all be surprised when he not only killed this Donatello, but his whining brother as well!

_Turtles... prepare to join your dishonorable ancestors..._

He slid from shadow to shadow, eyes on both turtles. The one called Michelangelo had given up and was slouched in the seat of the vehicle that the other was loading items into. From the faint rhythmic thumping of a hand upon a plastron, Jun surmised that the turtle was listening to music-- the fact that he couldn't hear it further indicated that the fool was wearing earphones!

Pathetic! Jun would not kill him-- better to kill Donatello and leave Michelangelo to discover the headless body!

Meanwhile, he approached the unsuspecting brainy turtle, who had just managed to lift a particularly bulky and heavy something from the huge mountain before him. The noise of displaced clutter masked the stealthy approach. Jun, drawing the sword he'd secretly brought along, got into position.

The turtle suspected nothing.

Without a sound, Jun struck!


	2. Chapter 2

_Okay, here it is, a Saturday, and I'm posting another chapter! Go, me!_

_TMNT belong to Mirage/Peter Laird. All the O.C.s belong to me. And if I had limitless money, I'd be among the 500 who will be in NYC getting the limited edition NECA turtles with autographs by both Laird and Eastman no less..._

**Bragging Rights**

LAST TIME:

_Meanwhile, he approached the unsuspecting brainy turtle, who had just managed to lift a particularly bulky and heavy something from the huge mountain before him. The noise of displaced clutter masked the stealthy approach. Jun, drawing the sword he'd secretly brought along, got into position._

_The turtle suspected nothing._

_Without a sound, Jun struck!_

The sound of metal meeting metal echoed around the junk yard loudly and jarringly-- Jun's arm actually vibrated from the force of his blade hitting something that was not flesh and shell...

Then, before he could recover from the shock of seeing his intended target literally vanish before his eyes, a powerful blow across the small of his back sent him flying forward, entangling him with his own blade and unidentifiable junk... he by some miracle kept himself upright on his feet, but only for a few seconds, as there was an excruciating strike to the back of his ankles, and he was suddenly on his back, a Bo pressing into his throat...

Don, despite the fierceness of his attack, studied the young Foot as if he were one of his many projects.

"Hmmm... I'll give you top marks for getting so close, but seriously-- if you're going to directly attack from behind, make sure your target can't see your reflection in whatever he's standing in front of. Also, make sure someone has your back-- otherwise you're open to being attacked yourself."

"Aww, Don, why help him?" Mike's whine sounded, and Jun now saw that the "unaware" turtle was entering from behind.

Don calmly gazed at Jun, but intended to respond to his brother.

Before he could, however, Jun produced the ninja-stock-in-trade blinding powder and flung it with a triumphant cry...

And the wind blew it towards his three companions, who scrambled to shield themselves, even while the two turtles stared with amusement at the struggling Jun, trying to vanish like he had been taught.

"I guess he needs to work on his _Santo Tonko no Kata_ as well as his _Shinobi-iri_," Mike commented as Jun continued to try every trick he could to free himself from the ground. The turtle bent down and retrieved the sword, hefting it expertly. "Hmmm. I don't remember getting to use real weapons when WE were in ninja kindergarten... I'll just hold onto this, young man, until your father and mother come to retrieve it."

Don, with a ghost of a smile, addressed the still struggling Jun.

"Come after me again, and I'll send you back in so many pieces your parents will spend weeks trying to assemble you."

Then he released the boy, who managed a fairly decent escape.

Mike, still shaking his head, got back in the truck, storing the sword in a safe place.

"How old do you think he is?"

"He looks like he's twelve, but I'm guessing about fifteen."

"Shame. He's not gonna make it to sixteen at this rate. What was Karai thinking, sending him out like that?"

"Maybe that's her way of culling the herd," Don said, driving them home.

Meanwhile, Jun was facing the team, already making several excuses in a forty-five second span, half of them being the fault of the others-- everything from making noise by shifting around in the junk pile to deliberately warning the turtle.

"And you three could have helped!" he ended his rant, glaring daggers at his so-called "teammates". "After all, there were TWO of them!"

"We were ordered to merely observe," Asuka sternly replied. "Just as YOU were ordered to merely touch the turtle and escape."

Jun huffed in disdain, but before he could resume his tirade, Naoto cut him off with a gesture.

"Enough, Jun. You failed. And the reason you failed was because of your pigheaded belief in your own greatness."

"Did you lose the coup stick as well as the sword?" Yuuto asked. "The Jounin will punish you for the loss of the weapon, but he will not forgive the loss of his family artifact."

Jun, a brief catch of panic in his throat, quickly felt behind him; despite having been hit across the back as well as pinned to the ground, the coup stick was still attached firmly to him. He wanted to see if it were damaged, but he'd already shown enough concern in front of the others. He resumed his former sneering attitude.

"Next time I will not only kill the turtle, I will bring back the sword."

"Next time? What makes you think the Jounin is going to allow a next time?" Asuka laughed in disbelief. "Once the Jounin hears of your failure--"

"You can't tell the Jounin!" Jun shouted, panic cracking through his angry pride.

"Jun," Yuuto began, but Jun reached out and caught him by the arm, almost pleading in his demeanor.

"Please! You can't tell! I have to be able to do this! You can't tell the Jounin!"

The others exchanged looks. Each seemed just a bit-- stunned.

"Excuse me," Naoto finally said, almost smiling, "but did you just say 'Please'?"

Jun closed his eyes, swallowed hard, then nodded.

"Yes. Please. Please don't tell the Jounin."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing," Naoto said, trying not to laugh.

Asuka, however, did not look amused.

"Why? Why should we keep this secret from the Jounin?" she asked seriously.

Silence... for about thirty seconds...

"Because the team will look bad."

Asuka struck him without warning, nearly sending him to the ground.

"The team will look bad? YOU fail, YOU blame us, then you BEG us to not tell the Jounin, and your reason is that the TEAM will look bad?"

She shook her head in disbelief.

"The 'team' wasn't involved! The 'team' as you put it, aren't considered **good** enough! Only the Pure Blood who has centuries of history..."

"OKAY! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it to come out like that!" Jun was doing his best to make it up to them. Umm... look... I'll do anything you want, anything at all, if you'll just go along with what I tell the Jounin. I'll... I'll clean all the toilets... for a... week. Yes, a week!"

Surely, he thought, that was enough to buy their silence.

The three drew off and consulted briefly, then turned as one to Jun.

"Done," Naoto spoke for the three of them. "We won't tell the Jounin what happened. We will back you up-- but ONLY if you keep the story simple and blame-free. If we think you're screwing us over, we'll make sure the Jounin knows the real story."

Jun, despite the threats and conditions, began to regain his superior smirk. He knew they'd back him up in the end. They were his friends, after all-- his team--

And he already had a story prepared for the Jounin, as well as a plan for the next time.

_And the next time, Donatello, you will die!_

ooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooo

Jun had kept it humble, if not completely "simple". The Jounin, harboring doubts about the validity of the story, nevertheless gave Jun the benefit of the doubt, especially as the other three had supported this tale of "testing a secret weapon with his full clan viewing, as well as some huge crocodile and-- Silver Sentry-- and I did not feel confident that I could escape the detection of the superhero-- not yet, anyway, perhaps after a few more months of practice-- anyway, I know that I can find him again, after all I-- I mean, we, found him with no trouble..."

Even though it did not take long for the Jounin to learn that the mighty Jun was performing toilet duty without a complaint and by himself (_"He's bought their silence," the Jounin had reported to his own superior, "but I trust them all the same." "You must act as you see fit," the superior had replied._), he continued their instruction and training and allowed Jun to keep the coup stick.

He also allowed them permission to be out past the curfew, going so far as to make sure the patrols and the guards understood this.

He did worry that the Mistress would be displeased, but so far Jun's mother had given him no indication that this privilege was forbidden.

He made sure Jun understood THIS as well.

"But I feel that I must not allow this test to be without a time limit," he added.

"I don't need months!" Jun assured him. "I am confident that I will successfully ki-touch this Donatello sometime this week! I will touch him with the coup stick and return triumphantly."

The Jounin's permission, however, did not make the way smooth for them with everyone.

Daichi had been giving them an extremely hard time, detaining them outside the building while he made a show of checking out their story, loudly ordering various punishments for their breaking their curfews, threatening to drag them bodily to the Mistress himself if he caught them interfering with his patrol (this while he was supposed to **be** on patrol-- SILENT patrol)--

And then, he had begun trying to discover what they were up to, trying to follow them, attempting to learn all he could about this extraordinary "permission" that had been granted to them.

The second week after they'd been allowed out to scout the better-known locations where the one called Donatello could be found, they nearly ran into a four-man patrol being led by...

"Buta!" Asuka hissed sharply, and the foursome faded quickly into the rooftop shadows, doing their best to avoid being seen.

The quartet passed them by, though one did briefly pause; then at a signal from "Buta", he moved on to join the other three.

The sighs of relief nearly gave them away.

"I think they're back there in the shadows," the whispered Japanese came floating to them on the light breeze.

"The Turtles? No," came the piggy snort. "They're ahead of us. I'm sure they did not double back. Let's go! The Mistress will be pleased if we can track them to their new location."

"That was too close," Yuuto sighed. "Damn Buta! It was bad enough last night when we had to hide in that dumpster from his piggy snooping. I still say we should go to the Jounin about him."

"We are not babies," Jun scoffed. "We can take care of Buta. But did you hear what he grunted? The turtles! Let's follow!"

And before the others could say a word, he was leaping across the rooftops silently, trying his best to catch up to the patrol.

Donatello was within his reach; he could **feel** it.

Tonight he would be the victor.

Tonight he would KILL Donatello!

ooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooo

The fight had been quick and violent, so Raph was only partly satisfied.

As he stared with disappointment at the retreating backs of the bloodied Foot, he growled out a loud and frustrated curse.

"Damn Foot! They sure don't have the will to fight, despite all the threats of that big one."

"Gee, Raph, you mopped the roof with him," Don replied, going back to gathering up the supplies he and Raph had been returning home with when the patrol had (noisily) tried to ambush them. "Damn it, they destroyed Splinter's tea!"

The slender, silver package of _Jippouso_™, a blend of ten herbal tea leaves including Hoyyuynia Cordata, Chinese Matrimony Vine, and Striped Bamboo, lay burst wide open, the tea trampled and scattered and unsalvageable.

Raph shrugged his shoulders.

"We'll pick him up some _Lipton's™_ on the way home. It's just as good."

Don favored Raph with a withering look.

"Even you with your limited palate for tea cannot honestly believe that statement," he said, but Raph ignored him. He stacked up his share of the supplies, then headed in the direction the Foot had fled, going just far enough to make sure the quartet had actually fled the scene.

Jun could not believe his luck! He had waited in the shadows, behind the wall of a rooftop entrance, Donatello in his sight. The departure of the other turtle was a Gift!

Tonight he would spill the blood of this turtle; it would mingle with the scattered tea leaves, and create a message of Doom to the Kame Clan...

Tonight, he would succeed!

He quietly pulled the _Kusarigama_ from under his loose top, where it had rested, its odd shape hidden under the coup stick strapped awkwardly to his back.

"Fool!" came a breathy curse, and Jun froze, concerned that his victim had also heard it.

But the turtle continued to salvage the many supplies.

Jun closed his eyes briefly; centered himself, then opened his eyes and silently got into position.

With a powerful, silent throw, the weighted edge of the chain made an unerring beeline straight for the skull of the brainy turtle...

oooooooOOOOOOOOOooooooo

_A/N: Yeah, I know, but I had to do it at least one more time..._


	3. Chapter 3

_Saturday! I loves me the Saturday. And it's really long! Sorry about that. Forty-one more words and it would have been 4000! _

_What's up with the new thing here where all my chapter divides in my old stories have vanished? I used to use "--" like that, now I have to use something else, like oooOOOooo. ponders_

_Oh, well! TMNT are belong to Mirage. OCs are belong to me. Strange talk are belong to someone else, but I don't know who._

**Bragging Rights**

_He quietly pulled the Kusarigama from under his loose top, where it had rested, its odd shape hidden under the coup stick strapped awkwardly to his back._

_"Fool!" came a breathy curse, and Jun froze, concerned that his victim had also heard it._

_But the turtle continued to salvage the many supplies._

_Jun closed his eyes briefly; centered himself, then opened his eyes and silently got into position._

_With a powerful, silent throw, the weighted edge of the chain made an unerring beeline straight for the skull of the brainy turtle..._

Don pivoted quickly; both arms came up, the left deflecting the chain towards the right, where with an additional movement Don caused it to loop several times around the forearm, while catching the slack with his hand. Moving smoothly and quickly, he grasped the chain with his left as well, got a good grip, and yanked hard.

Jun didn't lose his own hold on the weapon, but he was propelled forwards in a stumbling run, too stunned to resist. His mind was having a hard time grasping what was happening. It raced with thoughts so fast and panicked, he felt as if he were in a crowded room surrounded by hundreds of people all shouting at once. Every lesson his Sensei, his Jounin, his father and mother had taught him vied for his attention, like unwelcome and useless advice.

Don stepped towards the staggering figure, eyes steely and businesslike, as he shook the chain loose from his right arm. He then made a few flicking motions, wrapping the chain once, twice around Jun, pinning his arms in such a way that the business end of the weapon ended up just under his chin, a huge and deadly frown that could not match for sheer coldness the one on the turtle's face.

Another flick, another tug, and the chain dug through the material of Jun's outfit, painfully pinching the flesh beneath.

A third tug, and the hapless boy found himself face down on the damp rooftop. The scent of blood, dirt, and tea filled his nostrils. The blade of the kusarigama was making itself aware to Jun. He could feel its cold touch through his clothing.

No sound, except the beating of his own fearful heart in his ears-- soon mingled with the adrenaline rush breath of Don. Then a very light "thud", and Jun guessed rather than saw that the other turtle had returned.

"What, you ain't ready ta go yet?" came the matter-of-fact query.

"Got a bit distracted," was the equally nonchalant reply.

But Jun could hear the edge in Don's voice despite the turtle's casual words.

"What's that on his back?" Raph asked. "Strange-lookin' weapon."

"Well I'll be... it's a coup stick," Don said, finally taking his eyes off the boy and focusing on the item.

Raph's face lit up.

"No kiddin'? A coup stick? I always wanted ta see one up close!"

A powerful hand entwined itself into the fabric of Jun's outfit, and he was hoisted up and held in a dangling position, feeling like a kitten being held by the scruff of the neck by its mother. Raph, with a tug or two, freed the coup stick from the boy's back and held it out to get a better look at it.

"That is freakin' awesome! I always liked them stories Master Splinter told us about counting coup."

"Yes, I liked them as well," Don agreed, as he untangled the chain from the dangling boy and relieved him of the weapon. "I remember Mike trying to prove he was brave by touching you with a coup stick."

Raph's beak wrinkled in disgust.

"That wasn't a coup stick, it was the toilet scrubbing brush," he reminded Don. "AND he'd just used it to scrub the toilet with."

"I'm surprised you didn't beat the crap out of him," Don allowed himself a brief chuckle.

"If I hadn't slid in the trail of water he was leavin' with that wet brush, I would have caught him before he made it ta Splinter." Then he eyeballed Jun, who was trying to decide if it would be worth it to toss the blinding powder. "So, you're carryin' a coup stick, eh? Listen, kid, if you're tryin' ta play 'Cow-Turtles and Indians', you ain't doin' it right."

Jun, trembling slightly, put on his prideful face and refused to answer.

Reaching out with the blade of the kusarigama, Don turned Jun's face to his, eyes hard and piercing.

"I warned you last time," he said, each word sharp and cold. "And you not only return, you kindly provide me with the tool to do the job."

Jun struggled now, trying to break away from Raph. The turtle, however, had too good of a grip on the boy. Raph shook the kid like a rag doll, and gestured with the coup stick.

"You see that? You've pissed Don off," he growled. "Don's not a good person ta piss off. Now it's gonna get messy, and frankly, I don't feel like disposin' of no bodies tonight-- otherwise you'd be in good company with the others that we chased outta here instead a' guttin' them as a message to Karai!"

Raph tossed the kid at Don's feet. Jun managed to land on his hands and knees rather than in a sprawling mess, but he was far from free. Though his mind kept crying out all sorts of fleeing commands, his body refused to obey. He felt so helpless, so ashamed--

--so scared!

Don squatted down, placed a finger under Jun's chin, forcing his head up and locking eyes with him.

"You are in luck," he said. "But I swear to you, the third time will be your last."

He rose and moved back to his share of the supplies, turning his back on the boy with a dismissive air.

Raph tucked the coup stick into his belt and picked up the rest of the items that had been dropped in the skirmish with the Foot patrol. Then he turned with a wave to the still kneeling boy.

"Thanks for the souvenir," he cheerfully said to Jun. "Splinter's gonna get a kick outta displayin' this in the dojo."

"NO!" Jun finally found his voice and his control. With a speed and a skill that startled his waiting friends, he leaped forward, simultaneously flinging some blinding powder and snatching the coup stick away from Raph, then beating a not so stealthy retreat across the rooftops, his retreating figure growing smaller and smaller until the night kindly and finally swallowed him from sight.

His team, stifling snickers, quietly followed, keeping to the shadows but never losing their friend.

"You're getting slow in your old age," Don chided Raph as the wind safely carried away what little powder had actually reached them, but the turtle in question shrugged his shoulders.

"We wasted enough time on these kids," he said indifferently. "So, I'm guessin' that coup stick is part of this whole mess."

"Yeah," Don replied thoughtfully, as they resumed their trek home across the rooftops. "I mean, I wondered what Karai was doing, sending a kid to attack me. I didn't see the stick the last time. I guess I'm his homework assignment in bravery."

The thought amused the turtle, but his brother didn't share in the feeling.

"Well, he'd better take your warnin' seriously, and not try it again," Raph said as they descended to a dark alley. With the ease of practice, he had the heavy manhole cover up quick and silent. " 'Cause you know Leo ain't gonna put up with it, and the kid just might not make it home next time."

oooooooOOOOOOOOOooooooooooOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo

Jun found his team waiting for him at the entrance-- or rather, he found Yuuto and Naoto waiting. Asuka was nowhere in sight.

"She's gone to the Jounin," Naoto said, not waiting for Jun to ask. "She's gone to report how you once again tried to kill the Turtle."

Jun paled slightly, but recovered his bravado at once. With it he found a steadily growing anger.

"She has no right! This is MY test, not hers!"

Despite his exhaustion at fleeing home, Jun broke into a quick sprint towards their barracks, trying to catch up to Asuka, trying to prevent her from ruining his chance to prove himself.

"She's probably already with him," Yuuto said, catching up to his friend as they raced through the maze of hallways, passing Foot techs and trainees and soldiers who gave them no more notice that one would give a passing fly. "She was quite angry--"

"She has no right to be!" Jun repeated, working harder and harder to get through the ever-growing crowd.

"Jun-san! Yuuto-san!" Naoto called from behind, but Jun would not stop and Yuuto was determined to keep up with his friend and make sure he didn't get into any more trouble.

On they moved, but running was now impossible. It seemed the entire Clan was heading in the same direction-- and that direction was towards the main room, where the Mistress held court.

Jun, shorter than most of the others, found it impossible to see what was happening. Yuuto was almost as bad off, though a few inches taller than his friend. Yet he couldn't see what lie ahead. Nor could they figure it out from eavesdropping on snatches of conversation; the Foot were too well-trained to gossip in the open halls where someone with a grudge could use it against a hated rival.

"Jun! Yuuto!" came Naoto's voice, and they turned to find their friend pushing his way through the throng, gesturing to them at the same time to follow him to a side hallway. After exchanging looks, Yuuto went after Naoto. Jun, looking reluctant, yet realizing that the way was now pretty much blocked, followed.

"What--?" he began, but Naoto waved him silent, leading them further down the hall, where fewer people could note them.

"We have to find a way into the Main Hall," he whispered. "While I was chasing after you two, I ran into my brother. The Mistress is angry about something that happened tonight-- involving the Turtles!"

Jun stood still, and his head spun for a moment. Had Asuka sold him out to the Jounin? Had the Jounin reported him to the Mistress?

Slowly more of Naoto's words got through.

"... haven't much time. I know a shorter way, but we'll have to be careful. It's reserved for the higher-ups, not for students like us."

Quietly the threesome moved, trying to give the appearance of belonging where they were. Each worried what might happen if they were discovered, but it appeared that no one was watching for the unworthy.

In no time they reached one of the wide open entrances, where Jun spied the Jounin-- and Asuka! He felt his cheeks burn with same, then the growing spark of anger once again. She had sold him out to their Jounin! She was so jealous, she had broken faith with her team, with Jun!

Forgetting caution, he ran up to the Jounin and Asuka, protestations and accusations at the ready.

"Jounin--" his voice sounded loud in the hushed room. The Jounin immediately and silently commanded him to be still-- Jun was aware of many eyes upon him-- once again he felt fear that night.

But then, as he took in the sight, the eyes on him turned back to the head of the room, where Karai sat on a raised platform, looking beautiful and deadly.

Before her was a quartet of Foot, bloodied and bruised, kneeling low as if praying for their lives.

Jun felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw Asuka gazing at him in a meaningful way, trying to convey "something" to him but without speaking.

What? he mouthed the word, frustrated at her various nods, significant head gestures, and constantly moving eyes.

"Buta!" she finally whispered, and pointed directly through the crowd at the large ninja-in-training.

"Am I to understand that this so-called team followed the Turtles tonight?" the harsh tone of Karai carried around the room without the benefit of a microphone. Jun swallowed, hard, and strained his ears to hear the soft response of the man in charge of sending out the patrols.

"Hai, Mistress," the older man bowed. "They followed two of the Turtles in an attempt to locate their new lair."

Karai gazed at the four who were dripping blood on her beautiful floor.

"And did they find the hiding hole of those reptiles? Did they kill my hated enemies?"

The eager tone in her voice was not lost on Jun;_ she DOES want them dead! But the Jounin had forbidden--_

If so much was not going on, he would have been caught up again in his glorious dream of earning the praise of the Mistress.

"No, Mistress," the man replied again. "They were unsuccessful in locating the lair. They... were too eager... the two they were following attacked them.

Jun thought he could hear Buta breathing-- he had such a noisy whistling wheezy way of doing so when under a lot of stress. HOW he would ever make a successful ninja, when he sounded like a kettle on the boil...

Karai gestured to the man, who prodded Daichi with his toe. The "leader" looked up, and there was no mistaking the brief look of fear on his piggy face.

"You fought the Turtles?"

"H-h-hai, Mistress."

"And came back alive? Without their heads?"

An uneasy pause.

"Ha-hai, Mistress. We were about to strike when... when something alerted them to our presence."

"Probably heard him grunting," whispered Jun to Yuuto, who had to turn quickly and cover his mouth with both hands to keep from being heard.

Unfortunately, he had made enough of a noise to attract the attention of others-- including Buta. The disgraced ninja did not see who laughed, but his piggy eyes singled out Jun in an instant. Growing bold, he straightened up on his knees and leveled a beefy arm in the direction of this boy.

"Yes, there is the one who warned them!" he almost shouted. "He and his team have been out past curfew, getting involved in our business, making trouble! Jun is the one who ruined our chance to kill your hated enemies!"

He was only guessing, but unfortunately for Jun and his team, it was a pretty decent guess.

Jun felt the eyes of the room on himself again. Beside him, the Jounin stared with icy calmness at Daichi. It was not his place to speak until commanded to.

Karai did not look to whom Daichi was pointing at. Rather, she continued to favor Daichi and his team with a withering glare, keeping silent.

"I know it all!" Daichi went on, emboldened by the lack of orders to be quiet. "I have caught them many times returning well after curfew! I have seen them haunting the places we stake out, the places we know that the Turtles may come to. I have reported--"

"Enough!" Karai snapped out, and Daichi bowed down again. "Enough of these feeble excuses!"

Then she turned to the Kunochi on her left-- Jun's mother. After a whispered conversation, Jun's mother bowed then left the room. Karai arose and descended from the raised platform.

"Until the heads of the reptiles and their rat master hang on the walls of my bedroom, I will not be satisfied! My father did not tolerate failure. I do not either, though I do not display my displeasure as he did. Find me the lair of the Turtles! If you attempt to fight them again, and fail-- do not return at all! For if I cannot have **their** heads, I will have yours!"

oooooooOOOOOOOOOooooooooooOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo

"See? She wants them dead! I can do this, I know I can!"

Jun, perched on a bunk in the wing of the women's dormitory, was desperately trying to persuade his teammate to not report him. The whispered conversation between the Mistress and his mother had not been lost on Jun, but so far the Jounin had not revoked their permission to be out after curfew. Nor had he taken the coup stick back from the hapless Jun.

Asuka was not happy. She had been so very close to telling the Jounin of Jun's humiliating performances, of his stubborn belief that he could actually KILL one of the turtles. The girl felt such anger at her friend that she was ready to break their trust and go against him.

Yet, even as she had approached the Jounin, she found the words sticking in her throat. As she had stood there, stammering and suddenly shy, the news that Karai was receiving a report about an encounter with the turtles had saved her from turning in her friend.

At the same time, she had been gripped with the fear that Jun's actions HAD been witnessed by someone else, and that there would be hell to pay for all four of them.

"Look!" she suddenly said, rising from her own top bunk and facing Jun. "I do not like these constant attempts on your part to kill this Donatello! I just want to train! I want to be the best I can be so that when I **am** out on patrol I can do my job without getting my ass kicked! You're the one who needs to 'prove' himself! I do NOT!"

She jumped down from the bunk, stalking towards the women's communal bath, Jun hard on her heels.

"I can do this!" he pleaded. "Please. Asuka-chan! I'm begging you."

Asuka paused, defeated, in the doorway to the baths, shoulders sagging.

"Jun," she said. "I-- I do not--"

"Please!" his eyes were filled with such pleading.

She drew in a deep breath, let it go-- then stared him in the eyes.

"Promise you won't try to kill the turtle! Promise that you will do as the Jounin ordered!"

Jun, with only a moment's hesitation, nodded.

"I promise."

And he kept his face as sincere and innocent as possible.

oooooooOOOOOOOOOooooooooooOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo

It was two more weeks before their next lucky break.

Daichi rode them hard every chance he got, making their task so difficult that even Jun was ready to go to the Jounin.

He had not found out what Karai had said to his mother. She had made one appearance to him at breakfast a few days after the incident, inquiring after his progress-- and even then she had only spoken to the Jounin, ignoring the presence of her son.

His father, too, had been seen in conversation with the Jounin's superior, but other than a brief nod, he had not acknowledged his son in any real way.

"They are up to something, and I am going to find out," Daichi swore to his team one night, while they were on patrol. "Did you see how guilty he looked the other night when we were with the Mistress?"

The other three stared in disbelief at Daichi, who made it sound as if Karai had personally invited them to some special war counsel.

"All I saw was the puddle of blood that slowly formed on the floor from the cut on my head," came the sharp retort of Mahito. But Daichi ignored the others. He was going to find out what Jun-tachi were up to!

Meanwhile...

"Don, we're running a great risk, meeting like this."

"Afraid Casey will be jealous? Ow!"

"You KNOW I mean Karai," April frowned, sorry she'd popped Don on the arm like that-- her hand hurt something fierce now!

"Look, she watches your place like a hawk. How else can I get the stuff I need for this project unless we somehow meet up?"

"Yes, but we should have stayed underground. I don't like being out here like this. I feel like we're being watched."

"We are," he reassured her. "Anyway, I won't risk keeping you any longer. Say hi to Casey for us."

"Take care of yourselves," she whispered, and gave him a long hug and a kiss on the cheek. Then she was down the ladder, into the tunnel, and being escorted by Leatherhead back to her place, to the secret entrance they'd made to avoid detection by Karai's soldiers.

Don, disguise in place, looked around before loading the last of the items April and L.H. had brought to this location. It had been difficult enough for them to haul these items from her place to here via the tunnels, but Don knew that it would be impossible to get them back to the pumping station unless he used the "moving truck"

The team had discovered this meeting place quite by accident, and Jun once again knew that Fate was working for him!

"My ancestors are guiding me to you, Donatello," he whispered.

"Remember-- ONLY touch him!" Asuka admonished, nervously looking around. She had been increasingly aware that Buta had been following them. She and the others were finding it harder and harder to escape his detection. They had managed to give him the slip, but it would not take long for him to find them. He was that determined.

"Touch him and run!" Yuuto advised, also looking around. "I can feel Buta's piggy eyes upon us even now!"

"I will not fail," Jun said, displaying the coup stick for all to see. Then he slipped into the shadows and made his way towards Donatello.

The truck would block their view; good. He would be able to kill the turtle without their witnessing it. They would be surprised! He would prove himself tonight, and there would be no doubt in anyone's mind just how great Jun was! Jun would make his ancestors proud of him!

And he would play it safe tonight! Before he got out of their sight, he carefully pulled from the front of his outfit the fukiya he'd hidden, exchanging it for the coup stick. Once he'd done this, he turned and held it up in such a way so as to make his team think he still held the artifact of the Jounin.

He was particularly good with this weapon. He found himself remembering how he'd demonstrated just how skilled he was by tormenting Buta one day, shooting small paper containers of pepper at the huge fool's face, to the amusement of his team and the displeasure of his Jounin, who had made him scrub the dumpsters as a punishment.

Tonight, however, it would be poisoned darts that would aid him in his quest!

Carefully he aimed the fukiya at the turtle. Dart in place, he drew in a deep breath-- and froze!

Something sharp pressed against his throat.

"Your next breath will be your last," a cold, hard, calm voice whispered in his ear.

oooooooOOOOOOOOOooooooooooOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo

**(A/N: yeah, another cliffy-- but this time it's Jun in trouble)**


	4. Chapter 4

_Woot! I have finished! I am going to miss this story! Thanks everyone for reading! Many many thanks!_

_Oh, strong language-- I forgot to warn about that... I'm not sure if I should change the rating, but if anyone thinks so, let me know.  
_

_TMNT belong to no one I know-- they are the property of one Mr. Laird and Mirage Publishing. Jun, Naoto, Asuka, Yuuto, the Jounin, and any others not associated with Mirage/TMNT are mine, and I am going to miss writing about them for real._

**Bragging Rights**

_He was particularly good with this weapon. He found himself remembering how he'd demonstrated just how skilled he was by tormenting Buta one day, shooting small paper containers of pepper at the huge fool's face, to the amusement of his team and the displeasure of his Jounin, who had made him scrub the dumpsters as a punishment._

_Tonight, however, it would be poisoned darts that would aid him in his quest!_

_Carefully he aimed the fukiya at the turtle. Dart in place, he drew in a deep breath-- and froze!_

_Something sharp pressed against his throat._

_"Your next breath will be your last," a cold, hard, calm voice whispered in his ear._

"Leo! Leave him alone!"

Jun, frozen, grew dizzy-- he was still holding his breath he suddenly realized. As carefully as he dared, he expelled slowly, forcing himself to keep calm. _Just pretend you're meditating_ he kept thinking, as he closed his eyes and concentrated on not upsetting whomever held the blade to his throat.

"Forget it, Don. She's sending children to do her work. It's time to send one back to her. Let her reap the consequences of her actions."

Donatello came into Jun's view, eyes hard as on the last few encounters-- but they were not looking at him. His voice was calm but stern, even as he relieved Jun of the fukiya, tucking it absently into his belt.

"We discussed this. He is my problem, not yours."

"What affects one of us affects us all, Don."

Jun, swallowing hard, felt the thinnest of slicing motions. Whether deliberate or the result of the young boy's involuntary movement, it happened nevertheless, and a thin warm trickle, barely noticeable at first, started to wriggle down between his shirt and his skin, tickling in a macabre way, even as a stinging sensation where the blade had moved against began to make itself known.

"Leonardo, I told you. He is my problem. I can take care of myself. I do not need my ani to fight my battles." Don's voice was firm.

Jun sensed hesitation-- a very brief hesitation-- in the one called Leonardo. Then:

"I have no idea why Karai is doing this, but it's time to put an end to this sick, twisted game. I am shidousha. As such I can't allow this to continue," he finally replied. Despite the perceived hesitation, there was no mistaking the cold determination in his response. Jun silently prayed to his ancestors without really forming words, his thoughts were so jumbled and frantic.

"Leo--"

Leo, however, was adamant. This had gone on long enough as far as he was concerned.

"No, Don. He's a homicidal maniac stalker," Leo affirmed.

Don quirked a smile, eyes still hard.

"Yes, but he's MY homicidal maniac stalker."

"I will not allow this!"

"Why not? YOU have Karai. Why can't I have this one? I mean, yes, he's young and inexperienced and pretty puny-- he's not too bright, or else he would have taken the last two hints, though you have to give him credit for determination. He's unskilled beyond belief, though he has the drive. I guess you could say he's a **starter** homicidal maniac stalker."

Jun never felt so close to tears-- to REAL tears-- as he did listening the turtles discuss him as if he were nothing. Anger burned inside him, anger at** himself**, mixed with shame and fear. His life was nothing to them. The one called Leonardo was going to gut him like some worthless--

_What did you expect? You are Ninja. Ninja kill and are killed. There is honor in death!_

The imagined voice of his ego tried to encourage him, but Jun realized that he was in this position because of that ego.

"Mercy," he heard himself croak out. "I was not sent to kill Donatello. I was-- I was--"

Leo, now that the boy had spoken, withdrew his katana, spun Jun around, and faced him, right hand clenched tightly in Jun's tunic, almost holding him up to face him. His left hand still held his weapon, but down at his side and ready if needed.

Up close, Jun could see, despite the faint streetlight, the details of the turtle's face-- the texture of his skin, so reptilian, and yet the expressions were more human; a small vein twitched just above the brow ridge; the narrowed, almost golden brown eyes, glared into his with such fire that he was reminded of sharply of a time when Buta had faced him down over some imagined slight.

Only these eyes had seen Death. Jun could not shake that impression, no matter how hard he tried. He belatedly realized that Buta had nothing on this Turtle when it came to such fire.

The mask did nothing to soften the look of this ninja warrior. If anything, it was more frightening that this strange warrior worn one. Jun found himself fascinated despite his predicament.

Then Leo gave him a small shake and pulled him closer, almost nose to nose. He could feel Leo's breath in his face.

"Then why were you sent?" he clipped out, and the sight of such anger so close to him was the final straw that broke his ego's back.

"I was sent to prove my bravery!" he shouted out, frightened by the sight of his captor. "I was sent to just touch him with the coup stick! Then I would have proved that I was ready... that I wasn't a child... that I was... I was..."

Without thinking, he pulled the coup stick from his belt. The action was mistaken by Leonardo, and with a sudden movement that Jun's mind had trouble comprehending, the Turtle knocked the stick from Jun's hand, sending it spinning into the air. Without releasing Jun, the katana then came into play!

The coup stick fell to the ground in two pieces.

Jun stared, with horror, at his Jounin's most precious artifact. It lay on the ground, the dark wood color offset by the lighter shade of the inner core, the feathers slowly soaking up some remnant fluid on the filthy ground, the beads scattered.

And Jun began to cry. He cried heartbreaking tears of realization and shame. He had been so stupid, so arrogant. His father and mother knew what the Jounin had assigned him to do. He suddenly remembered forgotten words from when he was just entering the dojo, words of advice from his father:

_Your ancestry does not make you a ninja. Only hard work, determination, and willing obedience will determine if you will follow in the ways of the warrior._

He had constantly warned him against pride. But with his training he had allowed a distance between himself and his parents. He had not wanted it said that he was treated differently because of their position-- and yet he had, as he had entered his teen years, traded on his ancestry, on his parents' importance.

And now, he had not only brought shame and disgrace to his family, he had cost the Jounin-- the one man willing to give him a chance, despite all odds-- he had cost him a precious, one of a kind family heirloom.

He felt as broken as the coup stick.

"Let him go!" a female voice called, and three Foot silently landed before Donatello, Leonardo, and the still sobbing Jun.

Leo's sword was again at Jun's throat, while Don's Bo appeared as if by magic even as he took a stance between Leo and the three Foot.

But the three of them held out their hands in a show of their weaponless state.

"We are not armed. We are not ninja yet," Asuka said, stepping forward hesitantly. "What Jun says is the truth. Our Jounin assigned Jun the task of 'Counting coup'. He was supposed to touch the one called Donatello with the Jounin's own coup stick, and we were to witness it. That is all!"

"Yeah, except for Jun's stubborn determination to prove himself better than anyone by trying to kill the Turtle," Naoto said, his friendship and loyalty unable to prevent his slightly derisive tone of voice. "The Jounin specifically ordered Jun to not attempt to kill anyone."

"We're none of us to handle weapons outside of the dojo," Yuuto affirmed. "But Jun... well, he thought..."

"He didn't think if he kept attempting such a deadly task," Leo snapped, but Don waved Leo down.

"Let him go, Leo. Now."

Reluctantly, the "leader" obeyed his brother. Jun crouched down on the ground, hugging his knees and trying to stifle his sobs.

Don turned back to the others.

"I knew it was something like that," he said thoughtfully. Then he turned to where Jun still rocked himself on the ground. Don squatted down next to him, and gently encouraged him to look at him.

"Even if you had tried to touch me with that stick, I still could have-- and probably would have-- killed you," he said seriously and sternly, locking eyes with the boy. "I do not like to kill. I kill when I have to, and I do not glory in it. A true warrior does not count bodies like the Lakota counted coup. That was the whole point of the exercise. **Anyone** can kill. A true warrior can touch his enemy and escape, letting that enemy **know** that Death was that close at that time."

Don took Jun's arm and the two of them rose from the ground. The young ninja, eyes still on the ground, made his way to his waiting friends. He knelt down and gathered what he could of the coup stick as tenderly as if it were a family member.

How stupid and prideful and foolish and childish he had been! Warriors, true warriors, had wielded this stick and proved their worth. He had failed.

"Now, I suggest you all head home," Don's voice reached Jun's ears. "And Jun!"

The young ninja in training looked up with a watery gaze at Donatello.

"Don't try that again, or I shall have to do something about you. And thanks for the third weapon."

Then Leo and Don jumped in the van and were gone.

Silence. Then:

"Oh, this is rich! THIS is RICH!"

All four involuntarily jumped as the most unwelcome of voices intruded on their situation. Frantically looking around, they tried to find an escape-- but with an explosion of smoke pellets, the quartet were momentarily blinded.

Coughing, rubbing their eyes, trying to group up to flee, they found themselves at the mercy of Daichi.

"I can't WAIT to tell the elders about this!" he gloated, piggy eyes glowing with such joy. "You four will be gutted for fraternizing with the Mistress' enemies!"

He advanced on Jun, towering over the still emotional boy, until his garlicky piggy breath nearly caused Jun to vomit.

"Of course," he said lowly, "I could be persuaded to keep my mouth shut. I could make sure that my team hears a different story."

"You're team? Where are they? Why would they believe you over us?" Asuka challenged, tired of this bully. "Our Jounin will believe us!"

Buta's piggy eyes turned towards the slender girl, who stood with more bravery than she felt.

"Why would anyone believe you when you hid from the Jounin the fact that Jun-kohai had deliberately gone against orders?" Daichi laughed loud and carelessly, heedless of anyone overhearing. "From the sounds of it, you've also lost several weapons! You think the Mistress is going to be happy about THAT? Especially when she learns to WHOM they were lost to?"

Jun glared at Buta.

"I'll tell her that it was all my fault. I won't allow the others to be punished for my stupidity!"

Yuuto, Naoto, and Asuka stared with surprise at their friend.

Jun was going to-- _what?_

But it mattered not to Buta. He gazed at them all now, openly laughing at the helpless quartet.

"It won't matter! She will punish you all! You foolish children, the Mistress is the daughter of Oroku Saki, the greatest and most terrifying leader the Foot have ever served! She is his daughter through and through! She will not believe such a 'noble' tale!"

Though they wanted so to prove him wrong, they also knew that they stood little chance. The Jounin might believe them, even though they'd concealed from him the truth of these past weeks-- but they also knew the Mistress did NOT tolerate failure. All four clearly recalled her words from the last time.

They exchanged defeated looks, then turned as one to Buta/Daichi.

"What do you want?" Jun managed to ask, squaring his shoulders, standing tall, and prepared to pay the price to keep his friends from trouble.

ooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooo

The Jounin, when presented with the remains of his precious heirloom, held his temper as a true Master should. He listened to Jun's story of being not only unable to complete the task but of his and his team's having to have been "rescued" from the Turtles by Daichi, who had come upon the scene in the nick of time. The evil, bloodthirsty turtles were prepared to kill the foursome though they were unarmed, but Daichi had stood his ground and, despite being outnumbered (as his team had not caught up with him), he had rescued them from Certain Death.

The Jounin carefully studied their faces, but though this story did not speak to him of being truthful, they stuck to it, and were determined to accept all punishment for failing the Jounin.

So it was back to scrubbing toilets. Everyone's toilets. Other teams were celebrating at their expense, for the disgusting menial task of seeing to so many bathrooms were the responsibility of Jun and his team for the next six months.

The Jounin noticed a change in Jun. The "fire" that used to set his soul apart was missing. The Jounin did not miss the bragging, the haughtiness, the insolence cloaked with obedience of old, but he did miss the true spirit of Jun. For despite this child's failings, the Jounin had recognized early on that Jun would be one of the best Ninja ever to serve the Foot-- provided he could reign in his ego.

Now that ego was not only reigned in, it seemed to have been killed.

The Jounin also noted that where once the foursome made jokes and snide (yet supposedly private) comments about Daichi, there was now not one mention of his name-- not even the well-known (to the Jounin) nickname of "Buta".

The other trainees also noted that Jun-tachi had altogether stopped their "Buta jokes". However, as the story had gotten around that Buta-- that is, Daichi-- had saved them from being killed by the Mistress's mortal enemies, they put it down to gratitude.

"I don't mind scrubbing all the toilets in this building," Yuuto said one day, as the foursome took care of their own communal bathroom, "but I do wish that we could get some better cleaner. I'm getting housewife's elbow from scrubbing so hard!"

Naoto and Asuka laughed as they continued their chores.

"I just wish I could have some better kneepads," Asuka noted, straightening up briefly and trying to crack her back which was aching from being hunched over so many bowls for so many hours. "And I wish I could get a massage. I swear, the other day when I got out of bed, I couldn't straighten up for ten minutes. Chizuko saw me from behind and called out to me 'Sobo', saying she mistook me for her grandmother."

Laughter echoed in the large room.

Naoto shrugged even as he applied his brush to the next toilet.

"I just wish we could be free of Daichi-senpai," he muttered. "I would gladly scrub toilets for the rest of my life if I could be rid of that pig."

The others sobered for a moment, agreeing that living as his secret slaves was hardly worth the effort-- yet whenever they thought about telling the truth, some inner fear prevented them.

Jun ignored the chatter of his friends. As he scrubbed the filthy "throne" of Buta, he tried to focus on the feces rather than the burning shame of his failures.

He had allowed his overblown pride to get him involved way over his head.

He had led his team into danger.

He had constantly disobeyed his jounin and arrogantly assumed that, at fifteen, he was wiser than the adults.

He had been responsible for the destruction of his jounin's family artifact.

He had tried to prove his bravery by taking on someone a thousand times more skilled than Buta would ever be.

Yet he had "tied" himself to Buta because he was afraid of him.

Afraid.

He was in this situation because, at the heart of it all, he was afraid.

Bravery.

Staring at the filth-encrusted, dripping brush, the words of Donatello suddenly came back to him, sharp and clear as if he were standing next to him...

_"I remember when Mike tried to prove his bravery by touching YOU with a coup stick."_

"So, after six months, what do you think they'll make us do?" Yuuto was asking, when he noticed the stares of Asuka and Naoto-- who were gazing past him as if there were something dangerous looming up behind him. With an involuntary shudder, he turned to see a grinning Jun--

"Umm... Jun-kun?"

ooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooo

"... So I had to fight the two Kame ninja to rescue Jun and the others," Daichi was wrapping up (yet again) his tale of bravery and skill to the adoring underlings who actually thought he was "something special". "I wasn't able to do more than escape with the kids, but I'm grateful that I was able to do that much-- though it burns that I couldn't-- What the HELL??"

Something cold, slimy, smelly, and wet had touched him on his beefy neck. The underlings he had been impressing with his tales of heroism were now staring in shock at what they had just witnessed.

Buta, squirming and twisting to get one of his overly huge arms behind him to find out what was soaking his back, turned just in time to catch a brief glimpse of Jun running-- RUNNING-- with something in his hand, something that looked like a stick...

... or a brush...

His piggy hand came in contact with a large chunk of something soft and wet, smashing and smearing it into the folds of his neck as he tried to identify it, finally bringing his hand back before his eyes. Staring at the appendage, he took in the color and smell. Involuntary gagging sounds were escaping him, though he still was unsure about why.

First one of the youngsters, then a few more, started making strangled, tortured, snorting sounds, desperately trying to keep from laughing as they began to realize what had just happened.

Buta, alternately staring at the disgusting stuff on his fingers, then at the kids who were now beginning to find it impossible to keep their laughter at bay, then back towards where Jun had fled the scene, stood with his mouth open and his brow furrowed.

Finally, the message pierced his piggy brain...

Eyes wide with growing understanding, face suddenly glowing crimson with embarrassment, mouth twisting into a snarled grimace of disgust and vengeance, Buta came to life.

"DAMN YOU, JUN! I will KILL YOU!"

The chase was on!

The head start was just enough to keep Jun on the move, though he **was** leaving a trail of water.

Past the various people who populated this warren, past the high and the low, past security, cleaners, tech people-- past his own father!-- Jun ran as no one could run!

He dodged, twisted, leapt, and used the athletic skills and tricks he had striven to perfect in the dojo. He was fast, but he knew that despite his size, Buta was not slow.

Mind racing, he planned out where he would flee for safety. He just had to get there without being--

"FUCK YOU JUN! I WILL KILL YOU! YOU PIECE OF WORTHLESS SHIT!"

Jun dared not even look over his shoulder. He could hear the protests and reprimands, the sound of people being plowed into, the (at one point) outright yet ignored command of a senior Foot to "Stand down", and knew that Buta was in piggy pursuit.

Right turn down the narrower corridor. The various signs on doors were blurs to Jun as he ran.

Left turn. Left turn. Past his own dormitory, where his teammates were standing in the doorway, cheering him on with cries of "Go, Jun, GO!" even as the roars of his enemy reached their ears. Right turn. Left turn. Down the fire stairs, three at a time, out the door to the next level. Right turn. Left turn. Right turn. And all the while he made sure that his trail could be followed; the floors and walls were here and there daubed with whatever remnants the brush still held, a trail of water and feces acting as "this way to Jun" arrows to lead Buta in the correct direction.

Suddenly he was in the correct hallway. Pausing, catching his breath, he turned and listened. He had to time this just right. He knew that he ran a greater risk than simply Buta catching him, but he had to do it. It was the only way to prove himself to the Jounin.

To prove himself TO himself!

Soon the growing sounds of a still cursing Buta alerted the young Foot in Training that it was go time. With a twisted grin and a surprisingly light heart, Jun waited and waited for Vengeance to come into view.

Buta, seeing Jun standing there displaying the brush as if he were poised with a katana, skidded to an abrupt halt (and nearly landed on his backside; the floor was slick).

"Curse you and your entire family, kohai!" he spat out, slowly approaching the boy. He leveled a brown-stained finger at Jun. The muscles of his arm stood out, visually reminding Jun of Daichi's strength. "Curse your whore of a mother and your worthless bastard of a father! You will pay for dishonoring me like this!"

"I think not, Buta-chan," Jun grinned a naughty grin at the taller person. As Daichi stood there, momentarily shocked by the double insult, Jun wagged a finger at him, as if admonishing a small child. "Do not point your unwashed finger at me, it's not polite. And do not call me 'kohai' again."

Snorting like an enraged bull, eyes blazing with blind anger, Buta charged.

Jun sprinted down the fancy corridor, Daichi hot on his heels.

_There's the door! There's the door! I just hope it's not locked!_

Karai's special chamber. The last time he had been there, it was packed with many people, and Karai sat in judgment on her throne. But today, Jun knew, was the monthly report, and his Jounin would be with others of equal and higher rank, reporting on the progress of various activities.

With a crash Jun hit the door, throwing it open and startling the group of people seated around the table. Eyes darting quickly, Jun spotted his Jounin at the far end of the long table, and he raced towards the startled man as fast as he could.

Sliding to a halt on his knees, he bowed to the now standing Jounin, presenting the brush to him as if returning from battle with a treasured trophy-- a Lakota warrior, presenting his coup stick to his Chief.

"You BASTARD! I'll have your fucking balls--" Jun, bowed down in complete respect for his elders, wished with all his might he could have seen the look on his enemy's face.

Daichi stopped as if he had hit a wall. His feet were immediately rooted to the spot as he saw the various members of Karai's staff glaring at him as if he were someone to be killed on the spot. Though his frantic brain commanded him to beat it out of there, his body refused.

But when he caught sight of the Mistress, slowly rising from her chair at the head of that table, he dropped to his knees as if poleaxed, and prostrated himself.

The silence was only broken by the quiet gasps of Jun and the piggy whistling snorts of an equally winded Daichi.

"Explain."

The one word, spoken by Karai, was like the crack of wood being split by the most skilled of judo masters. Jun knew that command was addressed to his Jounin-- Karai knew even the lowest person's responsibilities.

"Mistress," the Jounin bowed. "Young Jun has just completed a task of bravery, in the tradition of my Native ancestors." Eyeing the toilet brush, he inwardly sighed. "Though, perhaps, not in the traditional way."

Karai gazed at the two youngsters on the floor.

"He is your son."

"Hai, Mistress," the cool and quiet voice of his mother responded.

The sound of expensive high heels clicked closer to Jun's head.

"You may rise."

Jun carefully raised up into a respectful kneeling position, eyes down, staring at the shoes of his Mistress. It did not surprise him that she was dressed for a business meeting, but it was a shock to be this close to her. Briefly he wondered if she would kill him herself for violating the sanctity of her chamber. Perhaps she would order his mother to do the job; he was sure he'd read somewhere that in the past such things took place.

A pair of tabi-booted feet quietly appeared next to Karai's polished shoes; the quiet murmur of a whispered report filtered down to Jun. A stray word or two let him know that she was being informed of the entire chase.

Then more silence.

The silence was the worst part of waiting for death. He would rather hear a command just before so he could prepare himself.

"Put that one to work with the cleaning crews," she finally said to someone. "He has the makings of an excellent ninja, but he needs more time to develop his humility. Perhaps six months of servitude will speed it along."

Jun waited to be taken away-- only to hear the sniffled apologies of Daichi as he was escorted from the chamber.

"Now, as for this one," came his Mistress' voice, as the heels walked away from his view. "He is to clean up the mess he has caused today. Then he is to return to his regular training."

"As you command," the Jounin bowed, nudging Jun with his foot. "Obey."

Jun quickly rose, bowed, and immediately secured the necessary items for the daunting task.

Yet he had never been so happy in his life to scrub.

ooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooo

A few months later:

Down by the waterfront junk yard Don cheerfully gathered more items. He liked this place because he constantly found something useful.

And he certainly needed something useful. Since these strange large mutations had broke out, he and the others had been busy with trying to keep the City safe. He was certain that he was close to figuring out a way to stop the mutations.

Mentally cursing Bishop, he absently rubbed at the still sore cut he'd received several weeks ago. It alternately itched and throbbed, and nothing he or Splinter put on it seemed to be helping. Still, it wasn't getting any worse.

Leo, he knew, was keeping watch. His brother had come home from Japan so much more his old self, yet Don could still see that Fearless Leader had more of a hard-edge lurking underneath. He had matured-- well, he was more mature than he usually had been; Don suspected that Leo had hatched out of the egg already "old".

Sorting through an interesting pile of various and improperly disposed of electronics, something brushed up against his shell.

"Mike, I don't have time for your games," Don absently said. When the familiar snicker of his brother did not reach his ears, he turned-- but no one was there. As he drew out his Bo staff from its holder, a strong breeze sprang up and wafted across the dump, rustling various things, sending a discarded plastic bag sailing out of the darkness. It came into contact with his arm as it floated by, brushing it with a soft tickle, then vanishing into the dark.

Don relaxed. Just the wind.

Later, when he met up with his brothers at the moving van, Raph let out a surprised chuckle.

"Hey, Don! I see Mike tagged you," Raphael teased, as he spied something sticking to the shell of his usually alert brother. "Aren't you a bit old to be pinnin' 'Kick me!' notes on people, Mike?"

"I didn't do it," Mike automatically said-- as he usually did-- while Leonardo pulled the large yellow post-it from his brother's shell and read it.

It didn't take the stern look that crossed Leonardo's face to clue Don to the truth as to who had pulled this prank.

Silently, Leo handed the post-it to Don-- who managed NOT to smile too much as he read the words "Jun was Here".


End file.
